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Organic Elderberry Syrup

This Organic Elderberry Syrup is shelf-stable for one year. It's made with organic elderberries, apple cider vinegar and raw local honey to keep you healthy through cold and flu season.

Keyword Elderberry Syrup, Organic Elderberry Syrup, Shelf-Stable Elderberry Syrup
Author Sunup to Sundown

Ingredients

Step 1: Elderberry Fermentation

  • 1 1/2 cups dried organic elderberries
  • 3 cups organic apple cider vinegar

Step 2: Heating Elderberries and Spices

  • 1 1/2 cups dried organic elderberries
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks or (1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)
  • 6 star anise or (1 teaspoon ground)
  • 6 whole cloves or (1 teaspoon ground)
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • zest and juice of one lemon
  • zest and juice of one orange

Step 3: Combine Elderberry Liquids and Honey

  • 3 cups raw local honey

Instructions

Step 1: Elderberry Fermentation

  1. Soak 1 1/2 cups of dried elderberries and 3 cups of organic apple cider vinegar. This works well in quart sized jars. Cover with a piece of parchment paper before applying a metal lid. Let sit in a cool dark place for 2 weeks.

  2. After two weeks, strain the elderberry infused apple cider vinegar. Set this liquid aside.

Step 2: Heating Elderberries and Spices

  1. Boil 1 1/2 cups of dried elderberries and 8 cups of water. Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, ground ginger, juice and zest of lemon and orange. Let boil until liquid has reduced slightly.

  2. Once this liquid is cool, strain the liquid of the elderberries and whole spices.

Step 3: Combine Elderberry Liquids and Honey

  1. Combine both strained elderberry liquids with 3 cups of raw local honey. Bottle this elderberry syrup into glass jars or containers. Once completely cool, vacuum seal these jars or containers for longer term storage.

  2. This elderberry syrup is shelf-stable for one year. Once you open your jar, it's best to store in the refrigerator so that it doesn't go bad before you use it all up.

Recipe Notes

The recommended dose of elderberry syrup is 1-2 tablespoons daily for adults and 1-2 teaspoons daily for children over 1 year old.  During times of illness, increase dosage to 3 times daily.  

This syrup recipe is not suitable for infants under 1 year of age as it contains honey.